The main focus of any Apple event is the iPhone and all its new features. Having already covered this in my previous post I want to turn my attention to Apple’s ‘other’ product releases, namely the Apple Watch Series 7, the iPad 10.2 and iPad mini.

Apple Watch Series 7

Apple Watch releases have always been the most underwhelming part of any Apple event. This could be down to the quality of the product or the overall mundane nature of a watch as compared to the competition of a phone and a tab.

Nonetheless, Tuesday’s event was no different. The Apple Watch Series 7 despite getting a few significant upgrades was the least exciting announcement.

Talking display (which was the most significant upgrade), the Series 7 is admittedly much better looking than its predecessor, the Series 6. Apple uses either a curved glass or panel that helps the watch achieve an almost 2.5D glass effect.

The screen also looks a little bigger with a much-improved UI to help you take full advantage of it.

Aside from display, there is really not much to get excited about the new watch. This is why, as explained on the GSM arena, the company decided to shift much of the focus to the watch’s fitness aspect. Apple’s Fitness+ service has been notably improved with its availability being expanded to more regions around the world.

Current Series 6 owners may find little reason to upgrade to the new model. There are, honestly, very few remarkable differences between the two models.

iPad 10.2 and iPad mini

I think few may disagree that the base iPad, has been left in the doldrums in recent years. This I think is down to the fact that it is probably the least profitable iPad in Apple’s product line.

And I think this is why Apple put little effort into improving it in any significant way. It still has a lightning connector and very ugly bezels. However, as long as the base iPad keeps selling better than popular Chromebooks and other similar Android tablets, the company seems to be fine with the product as is.

The iPad mini is however a little different. It was when first launched, one of the most popular products among Apple’s gadgets. It also has been a source of criticism directed at Tim Cook for leaving the product to stagnate without any serious updates.

Well, it seems that Tim Cook finally listened to users and gave the iPad Mini the updates it desperately needs to survive.

The new iPad Mini is now slimmer, has a better display, better cameras and a faster processor i.e. the A15, the same one used on the iPhone 13. This makes the new iPad Mini even faster than iPad Air.

Some have however theorized that the renewed focus on the iPad Mini is a reaction to the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The revolutionary new Samsung phone has been turning a lot of heads due to its ability to fold. While Apple cannot compete with Samsung on this aspect, it has ensured that the new iPad Mini is exactly what users need.

 “It’s big enough to be great for reading books, watching TV shows, video calling, or playing games but still small enough to fit in some pockets. It also has a far greater library of apps and games optimized for it than what the moving target of foldables can ever hope to achieve.”

However, the iPad Mini’s biggest competitive advantage over the Galaxy Z Fold is its price. Considering the similarity in functionality, that is if you put aside the folding and integrated smartphone in the Galaxy Z Fold, the two devices mostly serve the same purposes. Therefore, many will find themselves opting for the cheaper iPad Mini.

In conclusion, the new iPad Mini is a much welcome upgrade on its predecessor. Despite strong competition, it is going to generate a lot of revenue for Apple for the foreseeable future.